Wednesday, 18 May 2016

A few month ago a local Muslim
prayer room was damaged in an arson attack.
The local Church of Scotland congregation responded by offering the use
of their facilities for Friday prayers.
I did wonder at the time if a local Kingdom Hall, (Jehovah’s Witnesses), was
damaged would the same openness be shown to them.

Islam is a post-Christian
heresy. It does not worship the same God
as Christians; it denies the deity of Christ and reduces him to the level of a
mere prophet among many. Like the JWs it
embraces a form of Arianism.

Is it right therefore that an
orthodox Christian church should enable and facilitate false worship? Of course
Liberal Christianity would deny that we worship different gods because Liberal
Christianity is itself Arian, denying the true Trinity, the deity of Christ and
his vicarious atonement.

It does not come as a surprise
therefore that the Presbytery of Glasgow, (Church of Scotland), has received a
report on “the use of church premises for worship by people of non-Christian
faiths” that firmly nails its colours to the fence. We have the usual prevarication about there
being sincerely held but radically opposed views, “The committee notes the good
faith of parties with radically different views.” In essence, there are those who hold to and
those who reject the orthodox biblical view of salvation being found in Christ
alone and experience by grace alone through faith alone. This means that
whatever else, “we did not
approach this as a disciplinary matter.” There is no dividing line between what
is orthodox and what is unorthodox, just the ever fluid boundaries of broad
church theology.

Indeed, there is even the suggestion that some might wish a church
set aside space for “common search”? “Common
search” implies that we do not already have the Truth as found in Christ, but
will engage with Muslims in an open ended exploration of possibilities. (Would Muslims, I wonder, accept this concept
of “common search”, denying as it does the idea that ultimate truth is found in
the Quran?)

Is this not what Paul means by referring to some who are “always
learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth”? (2 Tim 3:7)
Liberalism hates the doctrinal and moral certainties found in orthodox Reformed
theology and would rather engage in a search than rest in a previously revealed
absolute truth.

Ultimately, in true presbyterian style, it is suggested that “Presbytery refers
the topic of the use of church premises for worship by people of non-Christian
faiths, to the theological forum of the General Assembly.” Yes, true clarity will
be found there! The report to Presbytery
oozes niceness and openness and “lets’-all-get-along-togetherness”.
It lacks conviction and doctrinal certainty, but that is the mark of a Broad
Church.

Evangelicals are faced with another example, all be it tangential,
that the exclusiveness of Christ and the Gospel is no longer upheld by the
denomination. But then, they know that
already and seem prepared to live with it.

I should point out in fairness that at least one minister in the
Presbytery raised this issue as a matter of concern prior to this report. His concerns fell on deaf ears it seems.

Thursday, 12 May 2016

Homosexual
Marriage – A Look Elsewhere

With the recommendation going to
the forthcoming General Assembly of the Church of Scotland that those in
homosexual marriages be permitted to hold office in the denomination (approved
by a majority of presbyteries) the decline in apostasy continues.

It is worth having a look
elsewhere to see what other liberal or mixed denominations are suggesting.

The Reformed Church in America will be facing
this issue at their forthcoming G.A. or General Synod as they call it. A special commission has recommended two options
that are in direct opposition to each other, that they either define once and
for all marriage as between a man and a woman or, alternatively, as between “two
persons”. No shades of gray here – the suggestion
is that it is time to make a decision and cease sitting on the fence. Of course, the majority liberal consensus is
that the latter alternative be chosen.

What then of talk of restrained
or reconciled diversity on this issues?
A gritty realism prevails. It is
suggested that if a decisive and clear decision is made that some, most probably
the few remaining Reformed evangelicals, could not in good conscience acquiesce
with this decision. If that is the case
there would be a need for separation:

RECOMMENDED ACTION OF GENERAL
SYNOD: That Synod instruct the General Synod Council to appoint a task force to
explore and articulate the options and consequences within the RCA for
grace-filled and orderly separation over time, should the different perspectives
regarding human sexuality keep us from remaining as one, for report back to the
2017 General Synod.

I respect their realism, and
their recognition that if both sides cannot live together then at least the
divorce should not be acrimonious.
However, if the PCUSA sets a precedent, then separation will not
necessarily be “grace-filled and orderly”, for that denomination has demanded
huge leaving payments from congregations who wished to depart, and in some
cases have refused them their property.

Going by past action, the Church of Scotland will not facilitate
congregations leaving and any that do will find that they have to fight hard
for their properties and funds – no “grace-filled” separations are in prospect!

Of course it is possible that the
evangelicals in the Church of Scotland will again reluctantly accept the reality of the denominational
decisions and claim that “restrained diversity” allows them to mentally and
spiritually separate themselves from the approval of what Scripture clearly
forbids, while remaining in full denominational fellowship with those who
embrace or practise these sins.

The RCA report can be found at:

“We may
add this consideration, that hitherto toleration of errors and diversity of
corrupt opinions have ever been looked upon, and made use of, as a most subtle
means for undermining and destroying of the Church.”

James Durham, “A Dying Man’s
Testimony to the Church of Scotland” 1659

About Me

With degrees in both philosophy and theology, I have lived and worked in the UK, West Africa (working in theological education) and the USA. As a Teaching Elder I served for 19 years in the Church of Scotland and 4 years in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (USA). I am a minister of the Free Church of Scotland, and a member in St Andrews Free Church, Fife.

I am married to my wonderful wife Aileen, who has supported and moulded me over 40 years of marriage - an ongoing project that may yet pay dividends, although it requires great patience on her part.